March 21
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
Yesterday, we talked about the fact that God’s grace is far more than just His unmerited favor – it is the fullness of the expression of His character and nature, towards us. This deepens our understanding. God is not just loving us… He is actively moving in our lives to impart Himself into us. This impartation is grace!
We began, two days ago, with the thought that God has poured out the fullness of His grace to us (see John 1:16). He is not holding back. He is not reserving a supply for when we become more deserving. He has granted us immediate access to the full supply of His storehouse of limitless grace. It is our inheritance “in the saints.” (see Ephesians 1:18!)
But we need to understand that access to this grace is not automatic. We have a part in laying hold of what God has freely given us.
I was thinking about this as I jumped into the shower this morning. I realized it is possible to actually be IN the shower… and yet not get clean. The shower itself does not get me clean. I have to turn on the water. I have to use the soap. I have to let the water and soap do its work on all of me. Just being in the shower is not enough.
Just talking about grace is not enough, either. Neither is it enough to know that grace is always available to us. We have to access it. We must “get in, and turn it on.”
This is why the writer of the Hebrew letter challenges us as He does. Grace is readily available. In full supply. For everything we need. But we are required to “approach the throne of grace.” God is waiting for us to come. God is ready to meet our need in the abundance of Himself. But He cannot grant us His grace until we come to Him.
Why would this be? I thought He loved us? If He already knows our need, why should we even have to ask?
The answer to all these questions lies in the fact of relationship. Relationships are always built on mutual sharing. And a relationship with God is based on faith. Our trust in His trustworthiness. Our recognition of His care. Our dependence on His faithfulness.
God tells us this is essential to our relationship with Him. Jesus instructed us to “ask, seek, knock…” (Matthew 7:7-8) James reminded us: “You do not have because you do not ask.” (James 4:2-3)
It is a simple matter, really… all the grace we ever need “to help us in our time of need” is readily available to us 24/7/365.
God eagerly desires to display Himself powerfully in our lives… He is just waiting to be invited into our lives, into our situations, into the fullness of our hearts.
His response to us is the fullness of His grace – poured out in limitless abundance.
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